yuxi cao's MACROCOSM illuminates the berlin atonal festival

NYC artist and coder yuxi cao has introduced MACROCOSM, a live audio-visual performance, at the 2016 berlin atonal festival. the installation is set in the chambers of an old german factory in berlin, equipped with projectors and immersed in the dark. cao is specialized in the field of audio-visuals and defines himself as an idealist trying to surpass social pragmatism; most of his work revolves around sensorial performances, programming, computing media, interactive art, and the intersection of those different fields together.

MACROCOSM screening in a projection room of an old german factory

yuxi cao created MACROCOSM as a self-generating programming system, producing digital artifacts that can be projected and visualized unto a screen. the concept behind the project is to develop self-evolving simulations that transform with time, and which the audience can witness during the screening.  in other words, those digital artifacts will ‘survive and evolve from simple to complex organic creatures based on their own immanent laws of interaction’, as explained by the artist.

the audio-visuals created by yuxi cao’s programming system requires huge amounts of data processing; this is largely due to the installation’s independent digital simulations.

additional view of a visual simulation projected in the chamber

close up on the evolution of a digital artifact; the level of details required incredible data processing

audience witnessing the sound-visual performance of yuxi cao

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom